Rotary motor

ABSTRACT

A rotary device for use as a pump or motor including vane structure pivoted to a rotor and a speed ring for reducing friction between a motor housing and the rotor vane structure. The speed ring is positioned between the motor housing and rotor and bearings are provided in the speed ring to permit free rotation of a portion of the speed ring within the housing. The rotor vanes are provided in pairs at the radially outer portions of alternate radially inner and outer rotor portions for pivotal movement toward and away from the speed ring on rotation of the rotor which is displaced axially from the axis of the housing and speed ring which are concentric. Connecting pressure-equalizing grooves are provided in the rotor and side covers of the motor structure operable to equalize the pressure between radially outer and radially inner portions of the rotor separated by vanes over a portion of the angular rotation of the rotor.

llnited States Patent [72] Inventor Henry Kehl 3283 Byng Road, Windsor, Ontario, Canada [21] Appl. No. 855,567

[22] Filed Sept. 5,1969

[45] Patented Aug. 24, 1971 54] ROTARY MOTOR 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] 11.8. C1 418/77, 418/78, 418/172, 418/270 [51] Int. Cl F01c 21/00, FOlc 1/00, F04c 1/00 [50] Field olseareh 418/72, 77,

FOREIGN PATENTS 19,328 12/1935 Australia 418/31 301,907 12/1954 Switzerland 418/270 Primary Examiner-Carlton R. Croyle Assistant Examiner-John .1. Vrablik Attorney-Whittemore, Hulbert and Belknap ABSTRACT: A rotary device for use as a pump or motor in cluding vane structure pivoted to a rotor and a speed ring for reducing friction between a motor housing and the rotor vane structure, The speed ring is positioned between the motor housing and rotor and bearings are provided in the speed ring to permit free rotation of a portion of the speed ring within the housing. The rotor vanes are provided in pairs at the radially outer portions of alternate radially inner and outer rotor portions for pivotal movement toward and away from the speed ring on rotation of the rotor which is displaced axially from the axis of the housing and speed ring which are concentric. Connecting pressure-equalizing grooves are provided in the rotor and side covers of the motor structure operable to equalize the pressure between radially outer and radially inner portions of the rotor separated by vanes over a portion of the angular rotation of the rotor.

ll L 1| ll 11 ll '1 PATENTEU AUG24I9H 3,601, 512

SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG.3

INVENLFOR. HENRY KEHL ATTORNEYS ROTARY MOTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to rotary devices including rotary motors and pumps and refers more specifically to a rotary device which includes a freely rotatable speed ring between the device housing and rotor operable in conjunction with pairs of rotor vanes pivotally connected to radially outer portions of the rotor to substantially eliminate operating friction between the housing and vanes.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the past, rotary devices have been provided in which a rotor rotates within a housing, which rotor and housing have offset axis of rotation and rotor vanes have been provided which move radially into and out of the rotor to seal separate compartments between the rotor and housing which increase and decrease in size as the rotor is rotated. With such prior structure, considerable friction between the rotor vanes and the housing is developed which necessitates a sophisticated cooling system for the rotary device. In addition, such structure requires complicated rotor vane bias means and rotor vane tolerances are critical. The initial cost and maintenance of such structures are, therefore, high so that such structures are unsuited for many uses such, for example, as for providing a variable-speed drive for machine tools and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, there is provided a rotary device which may be used as a pumpor a motor, including a speed ring having a portion freely rotatably positioned between a cylindrical housing and a rotor rotatably positioned within the cylindrical housing and having an axis of rotation offset from the axis of the cylindrical housing whereby friction between vanes secured to the rotor and the housing is substantially eliminated. The vanes of the rotary device of the invention are provided in pairs pivoted to angularly spaced apart radially outer portions of the rotor for engagement with the speed ring in different angular positions whereby the vane tolerances are not critical and replacement of the vanes is particularly simple. In addition, cooperating grooves are provided in the sides of the rotor at alternating radially outer and radially inner portions thereof cooperating with grooves in the side covers of the rotary device for equalizing pressure between the rotor and speed ring at predetermined angular positions of the rotor with respect to the housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a section view of the rotary device of the invention taken substantially on the line 1-1 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a section view of the rotary device illustrated in FIG. 1 taken substantially on the line 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section view of a modified rotary device similar to the FIG. 2 view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The rotary device illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a hydraulic motor which may be used to provide a variable-speed drive for machine tools or the like. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to a motor but is in fact directed to both pumps and motors. Thus, while with the motor illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the output shaft 12 may be caused to rotate at a variable speed in accordance with the hydraulic fluid passed through the motor 10 between the inlet port 14 and outlet port 16, it will be understood that fluid may be pumped between the inlet passage 14 and the outlet passage 16 on rotation of the shaft 12 by other motor means.

Similarly, a rotary internal combustion engine may be con structed having features including the speed ring 18 and the pairs of rotor vanes 20 in accordance with the invention in conjunction with known fuel porting and ignition principles applied to rotary internal combustion engines.

More specifically, the motor 10 includes the hollow cylindrical housing 22 having an axis of generation 24. A mounting base 26 is provided integral with the cylindrical housing 22 so that the motor 10 may be secured to a machine tool or the like by convenient means such as mounting bolts extending through the openings 28 in the base 26.

A pair of side covers 30 and 32 are secured over the ends of the cylindrical housing 22 by convenient means such as bolts 34. The side covers 30 and 32 rotatably mount the output shaft 12 in bearings 36 and 38 received in the recesses 40 and 42 respectively in the covers 30and 32, as best shown in FIG. 2. Appropriate seals 44 and 46 are provided between the side covers 30 and 32 and the shaft 12 and between the side covers 30 and 32 and the cylindrical housing 22, again as best shown in FIG. 2.

Side covers 30 and 32 are provided with an inlet passage 14 therein terminating in the inlet port 48 so that hydraulic fluid will pass through the passage 14 and into the area between the speed ring 18 and rotor 50 through the port 48. The side covers 30 and 32 are further provided with the outlet passage 16 and the port 52 therein through which port fluid is withdrawn from between the rotor 50 and speed ring 18 into the outlet passage 16.

The rotor 50, as shown, is provided with four angularly spaced-apart, alternating radially outer portions 54 and radially inner portions 56 and is mounted on the shaft 12 for rotation about the axis 60 of the shaft 12 which is parallel to and radially offset from the axis 24 of the housing 22, as shown best in FIG. 1. Grooves 62 are provided in the opposite sides of the rotor 50 and extend, as shown best in FIG. 1, from the radially outer portions of the rotor 50 toward an adjacent radially inner portion of the rotor 50. Similar grooves 64 are provided in the sidewalls of the rotor 50 extending inwardly of the rotor from the radially inner portions of the rotor. Cooperating grooves 66 are provided in the side covers 30 and 32 whereby the grooves 62 and 64 in the rotor 50 are connected for a predetermined angular portion of the rotation of the rotor 50. During the time that the groove 66 connects the grooves 62 and 64 during rotation of the rotor 50, the pressure in chambers 68 and 70 formed between the speed ring 18, the rotor 50 and the vanes 20 adjacent the grooves 62 and 64 is equalized.

The speed ring 18, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is a cylindrical bearing having an outer race 72 and an inner race 74 separated by bearing members 76. As will be understood, the bearing races are of hardened steel and the bearing members 76 may be cylindrical bearing members extending transversely of the cylindrical housing. The outer race 72 fits snugly within the housing cylinder 22 and both bearing races 72 and 74 are concentric with the housing cylinder 22 about the axis of generation 24. Thus, the inner race 74 of the bearing 18 is freely rotatably mounted within the housing 22.

The vanes 20 are generally rectangular, extend axially of the cylindrical housing 22, and arepivotally mounted in the outer portions of the rotor 50 to extend radially from the rotor 50 at different angles with respect thereto by the cylindrical portions 78 at one side thereof cooperating with the cylindrical grooves 80 in the rotor 50 which have an angular extent of greater than The vanes 20, as previously indicated, are provided in pairs and on rotation of the rotor 50 pivot toward and away from the rotor 50. Theouter ends of the vanes 20 may be in engagement with the speed ring 18 to provide chambers 68 and 70 therebetween having greater or less volume depending on the angular position of the rotor with respect to the housing 22. As the vanes 20 of each pair pass the groove 66, the pressure on the opposite sides thereof is equalized and the vanes are permitted to pivot toward the rotor, except for centrifugal force acting thereon. On subsequent passing of the port 48, the vanes 20 may be pivoted toward the rotor by input fluid pressure to connect a pair of adjacent chambers 70 and an intermediate chamber 68 and thus provide a single large input chamber.

In operation, if the friction between the free ends of the vanes and the speed ring 18 reaches the point at which the friction necessary to rotate the inner race 74 of the speed ring 18 with respect to the outer race 72 thereof, the inner race 74 will rotate so that the maximum friction generated between the vanes 20 and the speed ring 18 will be limited by the frictional resistance to movement of the inner race of the speed ring 18 with respect to the outer race thereof.

With such construction, it will be seen that the vanes 20 are not subject to great wear and friction-generated heat is kept to a minimum. In addition, due to the particular construction and pivotal mounting of the vanes 20, the vane construction is simple and tolerances therefore are not critical. Further, wear of the vanes will not reduce the efficiency of the motor but will probably increase it due to the more exact match between the vane free ends and the speed ring inner race. Also, when it is desired to replace the vanes 20, it is only necessary to remove one side cover of the motor 10, withdraw the vanes axially of the housing 22 and insert new vanes into the cylindrical grooves in the rotor.

Thus, in overall operation of the motor 10, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, hydraulic fluid under pressure is passed through passages 14 and ports 48 into the area between the rotor 50 and the speed ring 18 and particularly into the chambers 70 adjacent the radially inner portions 56 of the rotor 50. As the chambers 70 sweep past the ports 48, the chambers 70 are expanding and the rotor 50 is being driven due to the greater counterclockwise moment thereon since the rotor 50 is offset upwardly as shown in FIG. 1 with respect to the axis of the speed ring 18 and housing 22. Also, at this time the pressure in the chamber 68 is equalized with the pressure in the chamber 70 approaching the inlet port 48 through the grooves 62 and 64 in the rotor 50 and the grooves 66 in the side covers. In fact, due to pivoting of the vanes over port 48 toward the rotor 50, the adjacent chambers 70 and 68 over the port 48 may all be connected at this time.

As the chambers 70 pass bottom dead center in the rotation of the rotor 50, the chambers 70 are at their maximum capacity. As the chambers 70 start upward in their counterclockwise rotation, they are diminished in magnitude due to pivoting of the vanes 20 and as they pass the ports 52, the hydraulic fluid is force therefrom and out of the exhaust passages 16. At top dead center, the chambers 70 are of a minimum capacity and ready to start a subsequent cycle ofthe motor 10.

In the modified motor structure 100 illustrated in FIG. 3, the rotor 102 and vanes 104 are substantially the same as in the motor structure 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2. The output shaft 106 is, however, single ended and is mounted for rotation only in the side cover 108 which includes inlet passage 110 and outlet passage 112. The cylindrical housing 114 includes an integral sideplate portion 116 in which the shaft 118 of a cup-shaped speed ring 120 is rotatably supported by bearing means 122. Thrust bearing means 124 is provided between the speed ring 120 and the housing 114 to prevent undue stress on the bearings 122 for the shaft 118.

In cross section, the motor 100 is substantially the same as the motor 10 as illustrated in FIG. 1, and the operation of the motor 100 is entirely analogous to the operation of the motor 10. The motor 100 has the advantage of mounting the speed ring 120 in smaller bearings which can be standard for pumps ofa plurality of different sizes.

Other modifications of the pump and motor structure of the invention are contemplated, For example, it would be possible to substitute free rollers for the vane closures shown within the scope of the invention. It is the intention to include all such modifications as suggest themselves from the disclosure within the scope of the invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A rotary device comprising a cylindrical housing, at least one side cover secured over at least one end of the cylindrical housing, a rotor positioned within the cylindrical housing, for rotation about an axis parallel to and offset from the axis of generation of the cylindrical housing and including angularly spaced-apart radially outer and inner alternating portions and further including at least one pair of passages in the sides of the rotor, one of said pair of passages extending from the radially outer portion of the rotor toward an adjacent radially inner portion of the rotor and the other of said passages extending inwardly of the rotor from the radially inner portion of the rotor and a cooperating groove on the inside of at least one of the side covers for connecting said pair of passages in the rotor during a predetermined angular portion of the rotation of the rotor, an output shaft secured to the rotor extending outwardly of the rotary device through at least one of the side covers and having an axis congruent with the axis of rotation of the rotor, a speed ring positioned within the cylindrical housing between the housing and the rotor, including bearing means between a portion of the speed ring and housing for permitting free rotation of the portion of the speed ring within the housing, an inlet port in at least one of the side covers for admitting fluid into the area between the rotor and speed ring and an outlet port in at least one of the side covers for withdrawing fluid from the area between the rotor and speed ring, and pairs of rotor vanes rotatable in opposite directions with respect to each other, extending radially of the rotor and axially of the cylindrical housing and pivotally secured to the rotor at angularly spaced-apart locations around the outer periphery of the rotor.

2. Structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the speed ring is a cylindrical bearing having a single continuous cylindrical outer race engaged with the cylindrical housing, a continuous cylindrical inner race engageable with the rotor vanes, and bearing means between said outer race and inner race for permitting free rotation of the inner race within the housing on a predetermined friction being developed between the vanes and the inner race, and wherein a pair of side covers are secured to opposite ends of the housing with the output shaft extending through both aide covers.

3. Structure as set forth in clam 1, wherein the cylindrical housing includes an integral sideplate portion, wherein a side cover is detachably secured over the end of the housing opposite said sideplate, wherein the speed ring is a cup-shaped member positioned within the cylindrical housing between the rotor and the housing and a shaft connected to the cup-shaped member on the axis of generation of the cylindrical housing, means for rotatably mounting the shaft and therefore the cupshaped member in the integral sideplate and thrust bearings positioned between the sideplate and the cup-shaped member to prevent bending strain on the shaft, and wherein the output shaft secured to the rotor is single ended and is mounted for rotation only in the side cover.

4. Structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein the vanes are rectangular in shape and are slidably inserted into corresponding cylindrical grooves provided therefore at the radially outer portions of the rotor.

5. Structure as set forth in claim 3, wherein the vanes are rectangular in shape and are slidably inserted into corresponding cylindrical grooves provided therefore at the radially outer portions of the rotor.

6. A rotary device comprising a cylindrical housing, a pair of side covers secured to the cylindrical housing over the opposite ends thereof, a shaft extending into the cylindrical housing through both side covers having an axis displaced radially from the axis of generation of the cylindrical housing, a rotor comprising angularly spaced-apart radially outer outer inner alternating portions positioned within the cylindrical housing and secured to the shaft for rotation in the housing with said shaft and including at least one pair of passages in the sides of the rotor, one of said pair of passages extending from the radially outer portion of the rotor toward an adjacent radially inner portion of the rotor and the other of said pair of passages extending inwardly of the rotor from the radially inner portion of the rotor and a cooperating groove on the inside of the side covers for connecting the grooves in the rotor during a predetermined angular portion of the rotation of the rotor, a speed ring positioned within the cylindrical housing between the housing and rotor and comprising a cylindrical secured to the rotor at angularly spaced-apart locations around the outer periphery of the rotor and in engagement with the speed ring, an inlet port in one of the side covers for admitting fluid into the area between the rotor and speed ring and an outlet port in the other side cover for withdrawing fluid from the area between the rotor and speed ring. 

1. A rotary device comprising a cylindrical housing, at least one side cover secured over at least one end of the cylindrical housing, a rotor positioned within the cylindrical housing, for rotation about an axis parallel to and offset from the axis of generation of the cylindrical housing and including angularly spaced-apart radially outer and inner alternating portions and further including at least one pair of passages in the sides of the rotor, one of said pair of passages extending from the radially outer portion of the rotor toward an adjacent radially inner portion of the rotor and the other of said passages extending inwardly of the rotor from the radially inner portion of the rotor and a cooperating groove on the inside of at least one of the side covers for connecting said pair of passages in the rotor during a predetermined angular portion of the rotation of the rotor, an output shaft secured to the rotor extending outwardly of the rotary device through at least one of the side covers and having an axis congruent with the axis of rotation of the rotor, a speed ring positioned within the cylindrical housing between the housing and the rotor, including bearing means between a portion of the speed ring and housing for permitting free rotation of the portion of the speed ring within the housing, an inlet port in at least one of the side covers for admitting fluid into the area between the rotor and speed ring and an outlet port in at least one of the side covers for withdrawing fluid from the area between the rotor and speed ring, and pairs of rotor vanes rotatable in opposite directions with respect to each other, extending radially of the rotor and axially of the cylindrical housing and pivotally secured to the rotor at angularly spaced-apart locations around the outer periphery of the rotor.
 2. Structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the speed ring is a cylindrical bearing having a single continuous cylindrical outer race engaged with the cylindrical housing, a continuous cylindrical inner race engageable with the rotor vanes, and bearing means between said outer race and inner race for permitting free rotation of the inner race within the housing on a predetermined friction being developed between the vanes and the inner race, and wherein a pair of side covers are secured to opposite ends of the housing with the output shaft extEnding through both aide covers.
 3. Structure as set forth in clam 1, wherein the cylindrical housing includes an integral sideplate portion, wherein a side cover is detachably secured over the end of the housing opposite said sideplate, wherein the speed ring is a cup-shaped member positioned within the cylindrical housing between the rotor and the housing and a shaft connected to the cup-shaped member on the axis of generation of the cylindrical housing, means for rotatably mounting the shaft and therefore the cup-shaped member in the integral sideplate and thrust bearings positioned between the sideplate and the cup-shaped member to prevent bending strain on the shaft, and wherein the output shaft secured to the rotor is single ended and is mounted for rotation only in the side cover.
 4. Structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein the vanes are rectangular in shape and are slidably inserted into corresponding cylindrical grooves provided therefore at the radially outer portions of the rotor.
 5. Structure as set forth in claim 3, wherein the vanes are rectangular in shape and are slidably inserted into corresponding cylindrical grooves provided therefore at the radially outer portions of the rotor.
 6. A rotary device comprising a cylindrical housing, a pair of side covers secured to the cylindrical housing over the opposite ends thereof, a shaft extending into the cylindrical housing through both side covers having an axis displaced radially from the axis of generation of the cylindrical housing, a rotor comprising angularly spaced-apart radially outer outer inner alternating portions positioned within the cylindrical housing and secured to the shaft for rotation in the housing with said shaft and including at least one pair of passages in the sides of the rotor, one of said pair of passages extending from the radially outer portion of the rotor toward an adjacent radially inner portion of the rotor and the other of said pair of passages extending inwardly of the rotor from the radially inner portion of the rotor and a cooperating groove on the inside of the side covers for connecting the grooves in the rotor during a predetermined angular portion of the rotation of the rotor, a speed ring positioned within the cylindrical housing between the housing and rotor and comprising a cylindrical bearing having a continuous cylindrical outer race engaged with the cylindrical housing, a continuous cylindrical inner race, and bearing means between the outer race and the inner race for permitting free rotation of the inner race within the housing, pairs of rectangularly shaped vanes rotatable in opposite directions with respect to each other, extending radially of the rotor and axially of the cylindrical housing and pivotally secured to the rotor at angularly spaced-apart locations around the outer periphery of the rotor and in engagement with the speed ring, an inlet port in one of the side covers for admitting fluid into the area between the rotor and speed ring and an outlet port in the other side cover for withdrawing fluid from the area between the rotor and speed ring. 